Friday, September 26, 2014
Monday, June 23, 2014
The Returned (They Came Back) * * *
They Returned is the 2003 French movie that inspired the better 2012 French TV
series "The Returned". The point of both shows is that society must cope
with a large number of dead people coming back to life. The movie version
is slower and the ending lacks any clear resolution, but I still found it
entertaining. The ending is way too understated but it also sort of
makes sense.
They Returned might try the patience of some who would prefer a more
exciting movie.
The movie is less about the resurrected dead than it is about how the living
react to their presence. If there is any point to the film at all, and it is
not clear that the movie has a point, it is about how society integrates a large
number of immigrants or refugees who are dramatically different than the rest
of the population. (This has been a problem for Europe in general.) In this
movie the dead seem like mere echoes of their former selves who are less
capable of original thought. For this reason they are difficult to integrate
into society and can only work menial jobs.
But the dead in this movie have their own agenda. They aren't very
interested in the living. They secretly collude among themselves and make
plans. This leads to violent conflict between the living and the dead.
In a couple of scenes we see reflections of female beauty in a mirror and in
a window. In the first scene the reflection is covered by fog and in the
second scene we briefly see reflections of breasts. This seems like some
sort of symbolism because the dead are like poor reflections of their former
selves.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Learning
'This is my 3,000th column. I've learned a tremendous amount in writing about investing and the economy. Here are a few of the big lessons….'
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/06/11/im-just-now-realizing-how-stupid-we-are.aspx
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Fwd: Skype translation
'Skype hopes to make its international connections easier — though perhaps still a little awkward — with a new feature that automatically translates conversations almost in real time.
Parent company Microsoft unveiled the new technology at the Code technology conference on Tuesday, where Skype vice president Gurdeep Pall made small talk in English with a German-speaking Skype manager in Europe.
After saying a sentence in English, an automated voice translated his words into German. (You can watch the video here.)'
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Friday, May 2, 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Friday, March 14, 2014
Friday, February 28, 2014
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Nintendo is stuck between the past and the future of gaming
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/nintendo-is-stuck-between-the-past-and-the-future-of-gaming/2014/01/29/aaccd47a-88fd-11e3-833c-33098f9e5267_story.html
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
As Apple shares fall, Icahn buys another $500 million
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/01/28/us-apple-icahn-idINBREA0R18X20140128
Sunday, January 12, 2014
FOREX-Dollar drops across the board on weak U.S. jobs data
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/01/10/markets-forex-idINL2N0KK20H20140110
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
apple-stock-inching-toward-2013-high
http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/apple-stock-inching-toward-2013-high.html/?ref=YF
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Fwd: debt
Friday, October 18, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Re: Budget Math
On Oct 10, 2013, at 9:47 AM, "<larry.r.trout@> wrote:
'gnore what you hear and read in the news. The federal government actually reached the legal debt ceiling about four months ago. Since then, the government has been financing its monthly budget deficit by stealing/borrowing money from other government funds, like the federal government employees' pension fund. In about two weeks, the government will run out of tricks to keep operating as if nothing has happened. If the debt ceiling is not raised by then, the government has to balance its budget.
That's right. As much as the politicians and news media have tried to convince you that the world will end without a debt ceiling increase, it is simply not true. The federal debt ceiling sets a legal limit for how much money the federal government can borrow. In other words, it places an upper limit on the national debt. It is like the credit limit on the government's gold card.
Reaching the debt ceiling does not mean that the government will default on the outstanding government debt. In fact, the U.S. Constitution forbids defaulting on the debt (14th Amendment, Section 4), so the government is not allowed to default even if it wanted to.
In reality, if the debt ceiling is not raised in the next two weeks, the government will actually have to prioritize its expenses and keep its monthly, weekly, and daily spending under the revenue the government collects. In simple terms, the government would have to spend an amount less than or equal to what it earns. Just like ordinary Americans have to do in their everyday lives.
Once the reality of what hitting the debt ceiling means is understood, the important question is: can the government actually live with a balanced budget? How much money could it spend? Could enough spending be cut to live within a balanced budget? The answer is yes, the federal government could live with a balanced budget. Below I will show you precisely how.'
Sunday, October 6, 2013
America's Richest (and Poorest) States
http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/19/americas-richest-and-poorest-states/2/
Ten Brands That Will Disappear in 2014
http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/05/23/ten-brands-that-will-disappear-in-2014/2/
Friday, October 4, 2013
Re: Fusion
On Oct 4, 2013, at 11:56 AM, "Trout, Larry R wrote: